If you're seeing the "Word cannot open the existing file (Normal.dotm)" or "Word cannot open the existing global template. (Normal.dotm)" error when trying to open a Word document, it typically indicates an issue with your Normal template (Normal.dotm). This template stores Word's default settings, styles, and macros. Problems can arise if it becomes corrupted or conflicts with third-party add-ins.
Before diving into fixes, ensure your Microsoft Office or Word is updated to the latest version. Also, try clearing temporary files to remove any lingering Word-related data. If the error persists, use the following solutions.
Fix Word Cannot Open the Existing File Normal.dotm Error
1] Rename or Delete the Normal.dotm Template
This is often the most effective solution as it forces Word to create a fresh, uncorrupted Normal.dotm template.
Close Microsoft Word completely, ensuring no Word processes are running in the background (check Task Manager if unsure).
Open File Explorer by pressing Win + E.
In the address bar of File Explorer, paste the following path and press Enter:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
Note: You may need to enable "Show hidden files and folders" and "Show file name extensions" in File Explorer options to see the AppData folder and the .dotm extension.
In the opened Templates folder, locate the Normal.dotm file.
Rename it to something like NormalOld.dotm or OldNormal.dotm. Alternatively, you can delete the file.
If you see other templates like Normal1.dotm, Normal2.dotm, etc., and you don't recognize or use them, it's safe to delete those abandoned templates as well.
Now, start Microsoft Word and try to open a new or existing document.
When you close Microsoft Word, a new, clean version of the Normal.dotm template will be automatically created with its original default settings.
This should resolve the problem.
2] Use the Open and Repair Command
If the Word document itself (not just the template) might be corrupted, the "Open and Repair" command can sometimes recover it.
Start Microsoft Word on your PC.
Go to File > Open > Browse.
In the Open dialog box, navigate to and select your Word file. Do not open it yet.
Click the arrow next to the 'Open' button (usually a small downward arrow).
From the drop-down menu, select 'Open and Repair.' Word will attempt to fix any corruption in the document as it opens.
3] Make Normal.dotm Template Read-only
In specific scenarios, particularly involving programmatic access to Word (e.g., via Microsoft.Office.Interop.Word), making the Normal.dotm template read-only can prevent conflicts.
Access the Templates folder by pasting C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates into File Explorer's address bar.
Right-click on the Normal.dotm template and select 'Properties.'
In the Properties box, under the 'General' tab, locate the 'Attributes' section.
Check the 'Read-only' attribute.
Click 'OK' to apply the change.
4] Use VBA for Office to Open Normal.dotm File
If you can launch Word but cannot open Normal.dotm directly, you might be able to access it through the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.
Launch the Word application.
Press the Alt + F11 hotkey to open the VBA window.
In the VBA window, locate the 'Immediate' box at the bottom part. If you don't see it, go to View > Immediate Window.
In the Immediate box, type the following command and press Enter:
VBA
NormalTemplate.OpenAsDocument
This command will open the Normal.dotm template as a regular Word document, allowing you to potentially inspect or save it.
5] Disable Third-Party Add-ins
Conflicting or corrupted third-party add-ins are a common cause of Word errors, including issues with the Normal.dotm template.
Open Microsoft Word in Safe Mode to temporarily disable add-ins. You can do this by opening the Run dialog (Win + R) and typing winword /safe, then pressing Enter.
If Word opens successfully in Safe Mode and you can open documents or the Normal.dotm template, it strongly suggests that an add-in is causing the issue.
Close Word in Safe Mode and launch it in normal mode.
Go to File > More... > Options.
In the Word Options window, select 'Add-ins' from the left pane.
At the bottom of the 'Add-ins' section, next to 'Manage: COM Add-ins', click the 'Go...' button.
In the 'COM Add-ins' dialog box, disable add-ins one by one by unchecking their boxes. After disabling each one, close Word, reopen it normally, and check if the problem is gone.
Repeat this process until you find the problematic add-in. Once identified, you can choose to uninstall or remove it from Word.
To learn how to fix missing page numbers in Word, here is a complete article that will help you.
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